This Is England star Joe Gilgun has been cast as Robert Sheehan's replacement in Misfits.

The actor, who played Woody in Shane Meadows' award-winning film and its TV spin-off This Is England '86, is set to play new character Rudy in the third series of the E4 show.

It has previously been announced that Robert, who played Nathan, an Asbo delinquent who learns he's immortal, was leaving the show after its second series, to be replaced by Rudy, the new kid reporting for community service.

Before the third series starts, Robert will appear in an online episode explaining Nathan's departure from the show.

Joe will then appear alongside series regulars Lauren Socha, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Thomas and Iwan Rheon in the third series which boasts eight episodes rather than the usual six.

A channel spokesperson said: "New kid on the block Rudy gets a rude awakening in his first few days of community service, learning that with the keys to the infamous locker comes a great deal of running and screaming and, in some instances, blood-letting.

"But that really is the least of his worries. More pressing is just how to keep his secret superpower, well, secret. And is it super?"

Joe won't be totally unfamiliar with his new cast mates - as he played alongside Lauren's brother Michael in This Is England '86.